


Keep You

by Dee_MadWriter



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Dark 707 | Choi Luciel, Depression, Distrust, F/M, Love Triangles, Mental Disintegration, Mental Instability, Obsessive Behavior, Oral Sex, Reader-Insert, Self-Doubt, Soft Choi Saeran, Twins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-03
Updated: 2019-06-29
Packaged: 2019-11-08 11:34:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 20,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17980547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dee_MadWriter/pseuds/Dee_MadWriter
Summary: “Seven, this isn’t you! Please just—“Her hands shot up defensively as she moved backwards. Seven continued forward, pushing the chair out of the way. It hit the floor with a clatter; the noise being a herald to her that this was real. That right now was reality. She felt the surface of the wall against her back as she was stopped. Eyes darting around for an out was proven futile.They settled on Seven's aureate pair revealing nothing of the hacker she once knew; the Seven she loved. The stranger she now fell victim before stopped before her, his lips twitching into a menacing smile.“Silly you~ Why it’s been me all along.”





	1. NOT A CHAPTER

**Author's Note:**

> •As you saw from the tags, the following story contains a lot of dark elements and explicit sexual content.
> 
> •DO NOT get it twisted. Saeyoung Choi is my baby, my love, my husbando.
> 
> The intention of the following story is not to bash him in any way WHATSOEVER.
> 
>  
> 
> I hope we are all clear~~

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oof, please don’t hate me ^.^;

So...apparently when it comes to actually writing for an audience other than Wattpad, I’m a little nervous. For one, it’s a larger platform and more open (depending on the tags I think). With that being said..

 

The previous chapters are being edited. Chapter one, definitely, because as I said in the notes, it started off as a one-shot and I just added on to it (due to inspiration from a writer who’s written a story about Seven— I won’t mention the writer because I’m not sure if they want to be mentioned..). And then, a little of chapter two.

The way I started the story.. It doesn’t sit right with me. Adding on to it was a bad idea on my part because it wasn’t exactly thought through. That’s in addition to me having to edit it AFTER it’s been read.. Ugh!

 

 

On a more positive note, I’m really excited for what I am about to attempt with Mr. Choi *dark laughter*

Its very rare to see him in a light different from the fluffiness and occasional..lemons. And I’m really glad to have read a story on here that’s given me an opportunity to see him in that light. Because he’s actually a human being dealing with issues and acting in a way a human would and not some fantasied character acting in fantasized manner. 

 

So yeah, I am excited. And this is the hardest I’ve worked on anything I’ve written; drabbles, one-shots, my attempted and *ahem* FAILED stories. I’m really planning this out and the process is tedious, but just as fun. Especially when you know it’s going to turn out nice in the end.

 

So for those reading (or still reading, heh) , thank you for giving me a chance. ❤️

 

If you do enjoy, please don’t hesitate to leave any feedback.

 

:)

 

 

P.S. The newly edited chapters will have an asterisk (*) in the chapter name. This way, those who’ve read the chapters will have a chance to see what was changed. In addition to the asterisk, the notes (beginning) will include information pertaining to the edits. 

At the end of the third day, the symbol, as well as the notes, will be removed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It's not time to worry yet”
> 
> -Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

No matter how many times her eyes read the page, by the time they landed on the last word, all information supposedly retained had dissipated from her mind. Sighing, the book was tossed beside her onto the bed, where it bounced, causing the pages to turn until it eventually settled. A sigh was let out as [Y/N] leaned backwards in the chair. Her eyes scanned over the desk which had notebooks, her laptop, and a couple other textbooks that were open on specific pages decorated with yellow highlighter ink. She couldn't focus. Her mind would find its way back to her boyfriend Seven. Something was..wrong. I guess it has been for a while but lately it's much more than what she used to brush off as a "bad day".

_Bzt Bzzt. Bzzz_

She leaned forward in the chair and peered at the screen of her lit up phone. It was actually the first time checking the device all day. She heard the buzzing while she studying but didn't check it for that exact reason. A text from a friend about going out tonight. She paused, her fingers hovering above the keyboard. Her eyes flowed once again over the cluttered desk and back beside her at the textbook sitting on the bed. It was as if her work was pointing and laughing at her. She was behind and catching up was something she needed to do. But college students still went out right? They go to eat with friends or walk around the mall. She felt as though her friend count was decreasing though. Partially because she spends her days behind the laptop suffocated by the smells of pencil led and highlighters, buried under books.

And then Seven..

She sighed and started typing

𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚗'𝚝. 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚐𝚗𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚊𝚝𝚌𝚑 𝚞𝚙 𝚘𝚗.. 

 

The phone buzzed again, a text coming in.

 𝙼𝚊𝚢𝚋𝚎 𝚗𝚡𝚝 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎..

 

She sighed and cleared the messaging tab. Her phone buzzed again as she was putting it down and saw a notification from the one group of people she wished to talk to.She clicked on the app and watched it boot up. Her finger then hovered reluctantly over the chat. She deeply wished to press down and open it; It's been almost half a year since she's spoken to them due to Seven moving them both. After settling into the new home and registering for classes online, which was Seven's idea, she didn't find the time to talk to them. But..

Turning off her phone and setting it down, she moved the touch pad on her laptop to awaken it. She then reached over to grab the book from her bed and opened it up to the page it was on prior.

 

She was busy.

**

 

"Mmnngggg..!" Slouching down into the chair, fair-skinned hands shot up towards the sky. The redhead stayed like this for a few seconds longer before relaxing into his prior position. His elbow hit the desk hard causing him to curse under his breath. His eyes swept over the cluttered area; empty bag of chips, smashed cans of soda and water bottles as well as his equipment made home on the surface. Flicking his wrist out, his eyes read the numbers on his watch.

_8:47. I wonder if she's still working.._

He stood up and stretched again, feeling his tense joints relax after some popping. Rubbing his neck, he leaned over on his desk and stared at the screens. So far everything was alright.

Ever since the rescue mission, he had to "disappear ", hence the moving. For the agency was after him.

_Them._

And trying to lead a normal life wasn't as simple as it sounded, especially considering his line of work. Checking their trail was always a necessity. Though, considering it's been about a eight months, there hasn't been an issue. But one can never be too careful..

Straightening up, he crossed the room and opened the door. He then stepped into the hallway which was illuminated by the hall light.

_So she hasn't been out of her room.._

If she had, the light would be off , for she hated when they were on for no reason at all. He started making his way towards her room. When he passed the switch he flicked it, turning off the light. He stopped at her door, the soft illumination of the light underneath. He knocked softly and after hearing a mumbled verbal invitation, he cracked it open.

"How's it going in here babe?" He said stepping in. She was now on her bed, crossed legged with the book in her lap. Beside her was a notebook in which she was focused intensely writing in. She looked up, tired eyes scanning him and looked back down. A sigh was made a reply followed by a soft whine.

"Aw that bad?" She nodded slowly. He then slid behind her on the bed and pulled her into him. She tensed at his presence.

"You work to hard." He pouted. Her dyes rolled.

"And you don't?" She bit her lip, half deep in thought.

"Baaaabeee.." His tone was childish. He needed release, a break from his work. Something to take his mind off of the stress.. She only grunted in reply. His thumbs pressed into her shoulders, making slow circles. Her head rolled to the side, back arching slightly to the touch. His lips made contact with her neck only briefly.

"Can't you take a break baby? Its late anyways" His words so low, they almost vibrated against the shell of her ear. Her head shook in the smallest sense wishing that she could. Her head turned to peer at the weary redhead . His lips pressed against the side of her temple causing her to close her eyes and bask in his scent. Then, before she knew it, her body fell, making contact with the mattress. The sound of her books falling to the carpeted floor caused a small whimper of surprise. She opened her eyes to see Seven's staring from above her and the feel of the mattress underneath her.

"Wh-What..?"

"Shh babe.."

His legs hooked around her torso, caging her on the bed. The look of surprise in her eyes almost satisfied him. He chuckled softly to himself. He was fast.

"I can't do this right now,"

"We've both been working hard all day.. let's take a small break together.." his lips pressed against her collarbone causing a shiver. Trailing upwards, his kisses became shorter, wetter and needier until he stopped at her lips.

"Sev-mm!" Her word was cut off by the soft yet forceful lips of her boyfriend's. Placing her palms on his chest, she tried exerting force behind them but he only pushed further on top her against her feeble attempts. His hands then grabbed hers, pinning them above her head. Her pelvis buckled under him which only caused him to be all the more excited, proof being in his growing erection. His tongue swiped her bottom lip for permission to pass through, in which was denied by turning slightly.He pulled away, frustration starting to bud from deep within. He pulled his head back, body still pressing down on top of her.

"Babe. What's wrong?"

"I-I have work to do. I'm behind in the class and-and..I need to finish it." Seven then turned his head to the desk with the opened laptop and the scattered books. The textbook was on he floor from the small struggle, spine upwards and the pages folding underneath it's weight. His eyes fell as well as his hands and he sat back in his heels. [Y/N] didn't realize how tightly she was bound by him until the pressure fell away and she tried to sit up.

Only managing to do so half way, Seven still didn't make any moves to get up. Her brows furrowed then relaxed; she tried to read his face but failed to do so especially when he stood abruptly. He sniffed and shoved his hands into his pockets. His demeanor caused [Y/N] to almost feel bad. He looked genuinely disappointed, for they haven't had any intimate moments in weeks.

Reason being she kicked him out of the room, making him take the guest room. Seven, who pushed himself through work, adjusted himself to being up at ungodly hours tapping away. When [Y/N] complained he stopped bringing his work into the room. The peace lasted briefly until he began feeling restless through the night. From pacing the room to fiddling at her desk with equipment. She gave him the guest room, which he quickly complied to take given he could work for as long as he needed.

[Y/N] sat up and positioned herself on her knees. She looked at her hands biting her bottom lip. A small break couldn't hurt right..?

"Maybe-"

"I'll leave you to your work." He gestured to the desk with his head and turned. He really didn't want to hear anything else, so turning he walked towards the door. She wanted to call out to him. To apologize. For what specifically, she didn't really know, but she felt like this would only add to the rift between them. He opened the door and walked out, not giving her the chance to do so.

*

  _Seven was, for the first time in a while, genuinely afraid. Not only for himself, but for his brother as well. They were advancing on his twin, trying to take him again._

_“No...I can't let you take Saeran. Not this time...!" Holding his wounded arm, he stumbled in front of him, gritting his teeth towards the believers._

_He heard Vanderwood exclaim but ignored him._

_"If you touch my brother..Im going to destroy you all!"_

_His leg buckled before turning to his brother. Despite the intensity of the moment, the tiniest hint of a solemn smile formed. His vision wavered, as he strained to speak._

_"L-Lets go.. home.."_

_Falling to the ground, his eyes closed, he who embraced the dark._

*

 

"Home".." Seven mumbled. His hand shot up to his hair, gripping the curls and he groaned at the vision. The one he desperately wanted to forget.

"Fuck.."

Mumbling, he sat up hands moving to his eyes. He rubbed them hard, causing the sight of purplish psychedelic colors, as if he could just simply wipe away the memories. He dropped his hands, clenching the comforter that blanketed his legs. Once his sight adjusted, they rose to the glass sliding door overlooking the balcony opposite of him. Hot. It was so hot. The room was almost suffocating. Yet, a chill crept through his body. He stood up in the dark room, bending his body back slightly to stretch. Then, crossing the room, he unlocked the door escaping to the breezy outdoors.

He left the door ajar to cool the room so he'd be comfortable when he returned. He leaned over the railing, the sight below a subtle cityscape, spreading far with its blinking lively eyes. But the beautiful sight wasn't enough to distract him.

"They leave..just stay.." He found himself saying towards the darkened night. He chuckled shaking his head, but he didn't stop. His chuckled rose into genuine laughter.

"That bastard. I promised that fucking.."

The lively lights were then gone, in replacement was utter darkness, engulfing him and bringing him down to his knees. He felt.. angry. He worked hard right? He's done good for the two people he's cared about.

 _One, remember?_  

"Oh yeah.. right." He chuckled dryly and began to rock on his knees. The breeze was now ineffective. He felt as though his skin was on fire, crawling with nipping heat.

_No. The thoughts..those visions..this feeling. It isn't supposed to exist. Moving was supposed to make them all go away._

Make him feel better. These break downs were supposed to stop. Heat swirled around him and he felt wetness glide down his cheek. He couldn't move, just sit there in his own hell. Though he wished for some kind of life. Hell, even the Devil himself wouldn't be as bad as the loneliness he felt around him and inside. Despite the chilliness around him, nothing could compare to the frozen abyss within. He needed a warm touch. A kiss. A hug. Any form of contact to distract him from this. At least for right now. He looked back towards the door.

His salvation.. his love was waiting for him..


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I think a lot of what we learn about others isn’t what they tell us. It’s what we observe. People can tell us anything they want.”
> 
> -Iain Reid, I'm Thinking of Ending Things

"You need to eat." Seven pointed at the bowl of cereal with his spoon, chewing. He then stabbed his own, the spoon creating a clinking noise. [Y/N] slowly lifted her utensil and let it hover over the bowl. Her hands were shaking. Her eyes trailed the angry indentations on her wrist as she recalled the incident in which they came from..

 

_Seven hand gripped her left breast with his mouth latched on the right one. She arched her back into the mattress letting out no more than whimpers. "S-Seven! Stop it..!" She choked as His teeth closed around the bud, pulling it then letting it go. Afterward, his tongue swirled around the area for some time before moving to the other one. His hand then snaked down her stomach to the the area below. His fingers began snapping the waistband of her panties, the fabric making her shiver each time it made contact with her skin. She glared, eyes half-lidded in fatigue. He sat back and smirked, his fingers now brushing her clit. "You know you really wanted this as much as I." The dark glint in the ginger head's eyes were enough to make her gulp in anticipation.._

 

"You're really not going to eat." The water sloshing snapped her out of her thoughts. Seven was already washing out his bowl at the sink. After sitting it in the drain, he dried off his hands and leaned against the counter facing her way. His mouth was set in a frown and his eyebrows furrowed in concern. His hair was more disheveled than usual. On his body was a worn down tank top with paint splatter stains along the hem. Under that were a pair of dark gray sweat pants with the left pocket missing. It made [ Y/N] annoyed that they haven't been clothes shopping in some time. Her clothes were fine. But she was tired of looking at her lovers clothing that looked like it had been handed down for three generations.

Her eyes refocused on the now soggy cereal. She hovered the spoon above the bowl again and let it drop with a sickening plop; it made her stomach churn. Pushing her bowl away made some of the thick milk slop over the sides of the bowl.

"I'm not hungry." She muttered crossing her arms over her chest. The action alone caused slight discomfort in her shoulders, bringing her irritation back towards him once more.

Seven huffed as he stalked to the table and snatched it up, dumping it into the sink where it clattered unnecessarily loud against the walls. He flicked the facet off not bothering to wash it out and stalked out the kitchen but not before muttering, "I'll be in my room."

She retorted, muttering a "whatever", but he had already left the room.

[Y/N] sighed and laid her head on her crossed arms. Annoyance began to bubble.

_So he's upset with me?_

She scoffed, rolling her eyes. _Unbelievable._ Her finger traced the scratches on the table.

This was not how lovers were supposed to act. Lovers were supposed to talk to each other, ask about the other's day. When the couple moved in together, it wasn't like this. The days were filled with Honey Buddha Chips and corny jokes—Despite the long hours of him working and her focusing on school, at the end of the day, they had each other's arms to embrace.

Nowadays, it seemed that they would merely _tolerate_ each other. Well that’s not exactly correct either. She huffed, frustration growing. She only knew that his usual bubbly and cheery personality has taken a slightly darker turn. She could only hope Seven wasn’t reverting back into the place he was in at the apartment. Her heart clenched, remembering his harsh words during the time.. Luckily, it was her that pulled him from that place, though it took some time. Then was the rescue mission. Seven was happy to have his brother back after so much time. Moving in together seemed to add to the pleasure.

Ever since they moved in, he seemed fine but nowadays it made her wonder if she was truly keen to her boyfriend’s problems. It would be so simple for him to lie and say he’s fine. But when she could visibly see the change, it hurt her that she was made to be almost an outsider to his true feelings.

At first when [Y/N] noticed the shift in Seven's demeanor, she tried cheering him up. She understood his job was tedious as well as dangerous. She then began to pick up his slack around the house, handling the tasks that were given to him. At the end of the day, she'd smell like garbage and laundry detergent.

She had her own life to live as well. School wasn't helping either. There wasn’t an issue with it, for she was glad to have taken the route of majoring in criminology. But where she wanted to go to the campus with live teachers, Seven wanted her to take the online courses. Something about not wanting her so far, given the location of the college. So for about a couple months, it's what she's been doing because she hated her boyfriend to worry for her.

But the work on top of house maintenance was becoming overwhelming. Especially when no gratitude was shown for her actions.

He had noticed this and apologized, promising that he would do better. Only to go back to his distant void a week later. It gotten to the point where arguments would break out over his moody behavior. He didn't see a problem with it while she was sick of it. Some days, even weeks, it would be perfectly fine. But the days where those said arguments would break out were terrible.

There would be days where they wouldn't speak at all. Just grunts and sighs; as if cavemen ignorant to the use of words. Then there would be instances like yesterday.. [Y/N]'s stomach knotted uncomfortably. Seven was unpredictable sometimes.

After he had left the room , she thought she wouldn't see him again until this morning. She had awoken to him on top of her, struggling with her pants. His movements sloppy, almost drunken. It didn't bother her as much as it should have. Yet the only thing that seemed wrong to her was the way he looked at her. Almost as if his actions were driven by some other being, not at all him. When she spoke to him, her words had no effect and went unnoticed. He was a different person..The crazed look in his eyes when he—

"Are you gonna stare a hole into that table?" [Y/N]s head snapped up towards the entrance of the kitchen. Meeting a pair of minty eyes, she froze. The familiar set of eyes, a facet, to the one she or Seven hasn't seen in months. Five, to be exact. Her stomach fluttered and her mouth reluctantly opened, feeling at a lost for words.

 

 

"I.. _Saeran?_ "


	4. Chapter 4

_His eyes watched her wearily. They were dark. Calculating. Feeling uncomfortable, she averted her gaze from the rear view mirror. She looked back out of the window sighing. The space from in between the closely knitted buildings had begun to widen since the time they've started driving. The windows were rolled down, forming a breeze throughout the vehicle._

_A soft hand gripped her thigh, slightly startling her. She looked over and returned the soft smile Seven gave. His eyes crinkled as he flashed his toothy grin making her stomach flutter. She relaxed._

_Everything was going to be fine. They were going to be fine._

  
_Turning around in her seat she sighed before she opened her mouth to speak to_   _Saeran_.

  
_"Saeran I know that you don't know me well, but I would like to get to know you. We'll.." Her eyes peeked_   _at Seven, who was focusing on the road. His lips turned upwards in another smile and he gave a tiny reassuring nod. Her eyes went back to the male in the back seat._

  
_"We'll take our time and work it out. I-I'm here for you as well." He didn't reply, only stared into her eyes. He then frowned and stared at the window leaving her alone in the conversation. She chuckled nervously and faced forward, leaning her head on her hand towards the open window._

 

 _Soft features_ _looked back in her direction._

**

 

"Saeran, what— how?" She stood up, the chair scraping softly. She sputtered, at a loss for words at the male who was coolly leaning against the wall. She was appalled for he didn't even look like the Saeran she's last seen months ago. He chuckled softly and looked down at his feet. 

  
"What the hell Saeran." She crosses the space and embraced him. He stiffened slightly surprised at the welcoming gesture. His arms slowly raised, wrapping around her shoulders. Sniffing softly he felt enveloped in her scent which he missed deeply. Arms falling away, she stepped back looking over him.He really has changed since the last she seen him.

His moppy and usually unkempt hair was parted and combed. His usual messy and wrinkled shirt was dramatically replaced with a cotton gray tee and a blazer. On his legs, which were dark,  _stain-less,_ jeans. On his feet were a pair of dark boots. [Y/N] felt like she was staring at a whole new character.

"Seven! He's going to be so excited whe—"

  
"Don't go. I-I want to surprise him. " She shrugged and walked back towards her chair, sitting. He gave a thankful smile, his stomach doing front flips. In honesty, he was nervous in what his twin had to say about his long absence.

"Go get settled in Saeran." He nodded and a bright smile was exchanged between the two of them again. He turned to leave, but before he was out of the kitchen, she called out again.

"Saeran."

He turned halfway. Her look was serious as she stared into his mint eyes. 

"I’m really glad you're back."

*

Saeran opened the door at the end of the hallway, shutting it behind him. His eyes gazed around the familiar room. Smiling, he exhaled and walked towards the neatly made bed. He suddenly felt the need to sleep. But no, there was something he needed to do.

He shrugged out of the blazer, flinging it on the bed. His shirt followed soon after. Walking towards his dresser, on the other side of the room, he opened the top drawer and pulled out a neatly folded tee. Next he dug through the drawer beside it pulling out a pair of sweats. Grabbing the two clean articles of clothing, he made his way back to the bed but not before passing the mirror. Stopping, he walked closer, his eyes trailing down his body.

_Leaving was necessary._

The thought resurfaced, as he continued looking over himself. Before, he was pale and sickly due to the lingering effects of being under the influences Mint Eye. Not to mention his weak psychological state. Even after months of progression in the new home, he still felt trapped, leading to his departure. He felt guilty leaving the way he did but it was good for him. Looking at his reflection now, he was, in fact, proud in his initiative to act for his well-being. His skin regained color, his eyes were brighter. He was more neat and he felt.. _better_. Something that he never thought he'd feel. Smirking, he dressed himself in the clean clothing and tossed the dirty clothes into the laundry basket beside his dresser.

  
Opening his bedroom door, he walked towards the across to the room of his twin, hoping it was where he remembered it being; the door far down the hall opposite to his. He walked down the hall and placed his hand on the doorknob. He contemplated whether or not to knock but remembered the demeanor of [Y/N] towards Seven. He assumed that if he were to knock his twin would have probably ignored it thinking it was her, not realizing that his brother had returned. So he twisted the knob and stepped in, closing the door behind him.

"Seven." He smiled, expecting his twin to look up, meeting him with the same expression. But his brother didn't even flinch. He was deeply engrossed in is small laptop which sat in front of the three large monitors.

"Oh..welcome back." Seven grumbled, his eyes . Saeran's smile wavered but it stuck as his eyes darted around the room. Seven's eyes flickered to his twin and he shifted in his seat.

  
"I see you renovated?" Saeran kept his voice light. The last day he was in here, the walls were vacant. Now, a bulletin board was mounted on the opposite wall from where Seven was. It had a picture of that white cat. Around it's neck was an expensive looking collar. Saeran shivered at his distaste for the four-legged creature. Random receipts and other little pictures littered the board. Under it was a large bed, the blanket ina tangled bunch at the foot. Next to it was a small table. Envelopes, both sealed and hastily opened, sat on top of it almost covering the entire surface.

"Hm? Oh yeah. A little." The ginger head grunted. Rolling his eyes, Saeran moved towards the bed and plopped down. Facing him was Seven's setup. Beside the desk, the glass door was slightly ajar. The master chair obscured the red head from his brother; only the top of his unruly hair was visible.   
"What's been going on? You've been doing alright?" Saeran rested his cheek on his fist, his eyes focused on the stain-littered carpet. In the corner to his left was a wastebasket filled with Honey Buddha chip wrappers littering the floor around it. the basket seemed to be filled with soda cans as well as bottles of beer. This peeked Saeran, for he never knew of his twin to be a drinker, vaguely remembering him describing the taste as bitter and utterly disgusting. Now seeing the cans and bottles rested in the garbage, he decided his taste for alcohol must have been a new occurrence. He then wondered what it was that drove him towards the consumption of the beverage.

A groan was made in reply to his question followed by series of frantic typing. The triple screens lit up in excitement— Codes of green and red moving vertically down the monitors. After a few obscenities were made, the screens changed back into its prior stage. A breath of relief sounded from Seven and he leaned back into his chair. His arms dangled from each side. Saeran noticed his hands clench tightly before they relaxed.

  
"Just peachy." Seven mumbled then chuckled dryly. 

  
He swiveled in his chair causing his twin to almost gasp. Saeran quickly averted his eyes, deeply surprised at the sight of his brother. He was shocked to see him in such a state of disorientation; his clothes sloppy and full of stains, his bloodshot eyes full of fatigue, not at all the bright and excitement Saeran was accustomed to.

  
"Ahem. Is that so?" 

  
"Yes. How was your  _vacation_?" The sharpness in the last word made him grimace. 

  
"It wasn't a vacation " Saeran grumbled back, eyes glazing over at a spot on the wall next to him. He wanted to surprise his brother. Deep down, he was really sorry for the way things had turned out. He could only imagine what Seven had gone through in his absence. But he wasn't ready to talk about it. 

  
_Not yet._

  
"I..I can't talk about it right now."

  
Seven scoffed and swiveled back in his seat. 

  
"Yeah, whatever."

  
"Look, I didn't go on vacation. I just—"

  
"What? You just what? Wanted to travel? Go to college? Did you meet someone?" Bitter sarcasm dripped from his voice, something Saeran was also not used to. 

  
"N-No! I don't want to talk about-"

  
"Ooh yippee! Another secret to add to the growing pile." He laughed wickedly.

  
Saeran shot up from the bed, his hands trembling. Realizing this he clasped them together and closed his eyes.

_Fuck, it's happening.. just breathe.._

After a few seconds, the slight tremors stopped just as quick as they started, and he opened his eyes, looking at the master chair and the red hair peeking over the top it it. He didn't understand why his twin was acting like a dick towards him.

  
A few inhales and exhales later, Saeran made his way towards the bedroom door. This entire thing was a bad idea. Typing filled the small room once more after Saeran then shut the door.

Returning to his room, he then plopped in the bed, feeling more exhausted than he was before. But he was more irritated than he was exhausted. Turning over onto his side, he closed his eyes. He just wanted to be enveloped into the dream state before returning once more into the reality of the dreary atmosphere.

  
**

  
Stepping back at the spread on the table, [Y/N] placed her hand on her hips, pleased. The deep aroma of the meal in which she prepared engulfed the atmosphere of the home. Peeking towards the window, the rain had finally subsided and dark red colored clouds blanketed the evening sky. She walked towards the stove and grabbed the small pan of spring rolls, going back to the table. Reaching into the back pocket of the pants she wore, she pulled out her phone and turned it on.

  
_7:32. Surely Seven has to be through with work._

  
She bit her lip, returning the device to the prior place, her eyes looking over the meal again which included grilled fish served on top of fried rice, and Chicken Tempura set as a side dish. There was also a bowl of tossed salsa, in which she would be sure to take part in, and the cheesy shrimp baked spring rolls. The spring rolls were something she knew Seven would enjoy knowing they're his favorite food.

  
She decided to cook dinner tonight in partial celebration of Saeran's return. In addition, she decided to forgive the actions of her lover, concluding that he was just stressed beyond her understanding.

  
She discarded her oven mittens and set them on the counter. Then, untying her apron and setting it on the hook, she walked towards the direction of the rooms.  
Stopping in the center of the hallway, her eyes switched between the closed doors of Seven and Saeran. If she were to knock on Seven's door, would he brush her off, annoyed? They haven't spoken in hours. And he had seemed annoyed earlier for whatever reason. Maybe he's cooled down now, the separation between the pair needed in order for him to have a change in attitude..

Yet her body moved in the opposite direction, stopping at the door of the newly returned twin. She brought her hand up to knock, but hesitated. 

  
_What if he's asleep? It is past dinnertime.._

Her lip returned to the site between her teeth. She then remembered that Seven hated to have his sleep disturbed for any reason. Sleep to Seven was precious to him because it would be a little more than rare for him to have the simple luxury. But she didn't really know if Saeran was the same way. Nor did she know if the white-haired male was, in fact, asleep. Maybe he really was awake. Between the time he arrived and now, Saeran would have had more than enough time to settle in and maybe he was still doing so. Her hand then made contact with the door, knocking.

  
After a few seconds, a shuffling was followed by a sluggish groan. 

  
"Come in." 

  
She gulped and opened the door to Saeran sitting up on the bed rubbing his eyes. He yawned causing the action to be all the more childlike. [Y/N] blushed and averted her eyes to her feet. 

  
"I made dinner."

  
"Mmm, so that's what I smell."

  
The heat spread along her face. 

  
Saeran chuckled then stood again to stretch. Coming to, he felt that the nap was much needed. And the delicious aroma of a freshly cooked meal aided in awakening his senses. He followed [Y/N], who stepped backed into the hallway, and shut his door behind him. Her eyes flickered nervously to the door of his twin and the conversation between the two brothers resurfaced in Saeran's mind. In addition, the way her eyes glinted in almost fear caused him to deeply wonder what the story was between the pair.

  
"How about I let him know? That way, you can set the table." He offered a reassuring smile. Before [Y/N] could reply that it was already set, he started walking in the opposite direction. She didn't bother calling after him because a part of her was nervous in speaking to Seven, despite the self pep talk a few minutes ago. Returning to the kitchen she grabbed a stack of plates from the cupboard as well as the cutlery. Humming she began to set the table. She was happy that the three individuals could have a meal together after so long. 

  
By the time she was through, the twins emerged from the hallway. She looked up surprised to see Seven in a different and cleaner wardrobe. He had on a t-shirt of a band in which she couldn't tell which from the peeling letters. He also had on a fresh pair of sweatpants in which consisted of no holes. She wondered if the clothes were in fact Saeran's who's clothing matched the neatness. 

  
"Smells good." Seven mumbled as he took a seat that the end of the rectangular table. Saeran took his place along the longer side of the table and [Y/N] sat across from him.  
The three folded their hands, speaking a prayer and then proceeded to to reach for the various meal items. Seven's hand found the tempura and began to pile some on his plate. [Y/N] snuck a peek at the face of her lover. His mouth was set in a tight line and and his brows were furrowed. He looked up, meeting her eyes, and she saw his were unreadable. She looked down, continuing to fill an area on her plate with salad.

  
"Can you pass me the rolls?"

  
"Sure." Then sounded the pan setting down on the table followed by a grumbled 'Thank You'.

  
"Seven, hows work coming along?" She kept her tone bright, not at all matching what she felt on the inside. She reached beside her and grabbed the small bowl of fried rice and put a couple spoonfuls onto her plate. Saeran had already began eating, starting off with the fish and rice. He looked towards his brother, wanting to observe his demeanor.

  
"It's the same as always. Fine." Seven sighed. His brother then looked at [Y/N] who was facing her plate. Her fork stabbed through the green leaves of the salad and was brought to her mouth. Chewing, she rested her cheek on her closed fist which now appeared on the surface of the table. Judging by the reaction Saeran guessed his twin's response wasn't the one she was looking for.

[Y/N] really hoped the meal she prepared would bring the pair as well as the newly returned male closer together. That sitting around like the old days would entice smiles and laughter. It hasn't been twenty minutes and already she could tell her hopes would not in fact happen. 

Saeran's foot made contact with that of his brother. Looking up in annoyance, Saeran returned it with a raised eyebrow.  
He looked back at his plate and cleared his throat. 

  
"The meal is delicious babe, thank you.." Despite the monotony in his voice as if the sentence was rehearsed, [Y/N] smiled at the compliment. At least it was something.   
The next ten minutes continued in silence; the only noise being of the occasional clinking of the cutlery against the plates.  That was until [Y/N] had realized she had not asked about Saeran. Blushing in embarrassment at the lack of politeness, she finished chewing before looking up at the white-haired male. 

  
"So Saeran, how are you adjusting? I know it hasn't been long since you returned, but.." her voice trailed off. Saeran quickly swallowed and smiled.

  
"Quite well, thanks. I..missed this place. And I missed the two of you greatly." He didn't know what else to add and he looked down at his plate hoping that his response didn't gateway into a question he dreaded to hear.

  
[Y/N] scooped up a spoonful of rice, leading it into her mouth. When she was done chewing she smiled at him, who glanced up at her. 

  
"I'm really glad. Both of us really missed you too," She paused her eyes flickering to Seven, who was chewing, his eyes glued to the plate. She was honestly shocked at the lack of his excitement for the return of his brother. She knew how much he cared for him despite his coldness. 

  
"Especially Seven. He wouldn't go a day without talking about how much he missed you." She smirked, eyes returning to the male in front of her. In her peripheral, she saw him pause mid-bite, his cheeks turning red. Saeran chuckled, deep down knowing it was probably a lie to make him feel better. He played along, knowing the lie was made in his best interest.

  
"I bet he did. Lord knows he loves and adores his brother ohh so much." This time he laughed , her laughter joining in. Seven's brow furrowed in arising irritation at the giggling pair. 

  
"I don't know if you know this, but we were really close when we were little. His attitude was much more positive than it is now." He grinned at the red head then took another bite of his meal. Seven stood up, the chair screeching softly against the vinyl floor. He walked towards the fridge in search of something to quench his thirst. 

  
"Oh I made some punch. It's on the top shelf." she called. She then reached for a spring roll to place on her plate. 

  
"That's sweet. I really don't think I heard the stories of both your childhoods." At least not from you, she added to herself. She was only aware of the two being children of an alcoholic and abusive mother and a high ranking politician. She also knew that Saeran was abused for being the weaker between the two and Seven vowing to make a future for the two through hacking. She knew more deeper parts of the story as told by her lover but she didn't want to dwell deep into it.

"Haha, yeah. We we inseparable—"

Seven returned slamming a bottle of beer on the table interrupting his twin. He scooted his chair up and proceeded to pile more rice into his mouth, aware of the gazes in his direction. When he was through chewing, he made a show of gulping down the liquid, his eyes never leaving [Y/N]'s who stared back in utter disbelief.

He then set the glass down with enough force to shake some of the cutlery. Smiling he then looked towards his twin, relishing in what he was about to do.

"So Saeran. Where  _have_  you been all this time?"

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “The one who begins to have doubts, for him complete destruction occurs...”
> 
> -Dada Bhagwan, Life Without Conflict

Silence.

Saeran glared at his brother, in the single moment wanting nothing more than to hurt him. He knew exactly what he was doing though he didn't understand why he was doing it. He did nothing to him. So what he left without saying anything? It was for his own good. Though simply trying to explain it seemed pointless. He reluctantly looked towards [Y/N] who's eyes were on him as well. Though she was also waiting on an answer, her gaze was much more softer. It caused his stomach to churn.

She deserved the truth as much as anyone. For she was the one who aided his brother in his rescue— a dangerous risk. And yet his first time actually getting to know her, she offered her hand with a smile while he stared at her hand in discontent.

As if he wasn't the one with his arm around her neck threatening to kill her. As if he wasn't the one who tried to act against the RFA. He put her through so much turmoil and risked her life. Guilt washed over him as he recalled how he treated her during the first few weeks of the move.. Heat found its way to his cheeks and he cleared his throat. Looking at Seven darkly he opened his mouth to speak.

"I..needed a break." His eyes flickered back towards the one sitting across from him. He gulped, his mouth beginning to feel dry. Her brows furrowed in deep curiosity. He didn't want to lie to her. Despite his brothers petty reasons for bringing up the question, she did deserve to know. Saeran was stuck between concealing the reasons for his absence altogether and telling the full truth. Yet he was afraid. The two people who risked their lives for him, looked his way for an answer. Going with the former, he sighed.

"I just needed a change of scenery." He shrugged. [Y/N] let out her breath. She didn't blame him for leaving. Maybe he just needed to find things out for himself.

"Well, just know that we're glad you're b-"

"Where exactly did you go?" Seven interjected rudely. Saeran's irritated gaze moved towards him once more.

"Just around the country."

He waved his hand dismissively, in hopes that the red head would just drop it.

"That's interesting. Because I don't think I saw you come in with any bags."

"Seven, Stop it." [Y/N]'s voice sounded sternly. Why was Saeran being questioned like he did something wrong? So he needed some time to himself. The notion was quite understandable given everything he's been through. Seven sat back in the chair, a smug smirk set on his face.

Despite being overwhelmed with work, he still took time out to make sure everything was alright around the house . Recent days after moving into the home about a year and a half ago, security cameras were set up outside the apartment, in the front hall and on the balcony. After the arrival of his brother, the cameras added as a bonus to monitor his behavior. Over Saeran's progression, Seven felt the need to check the systems lessen. And after he departed without a word he didn't check them at all. But today during his work, he had heard a steady beep signaling someone being within close proximity of the camera. Knowing that his girlfriend didn't have a reason to leave without telling him that is, he pulled up the system, seeing the body of his _empty-handed_ twin.

"I have a car coming in a couple days with my belongings." His face grew flush as he stared into his plate.

"Oh yeah? So it must have been one heck of a vacation if you have a separate car coming with your belongings. So how did you get here then?"

"Sev-"

"By plane." Saeran replied.

"But then if you were to travel by plane, _surely_ you would at least have a few bags. I think they have a storage inside where you can put all of that."

"Why do I have to explain myself to you?" Saerans voice raised slighty, full of hurt at his twin's suspicious tone.

Seven's narrowed, his face darkening into that of a stranger. He leaned forward towards his twin, gritting his teeth.

" _Because you're a liar._ "

"That's _enough_!"

All conversation ceased upon hearing a thud, clattering dishes and the shout of the female sitting at the table. She slid black, the chair creating a deafening screech. Standing up, she roughly placed her palms on the table switching her hard gaze between the two brothers.

"I don't know what is going on between the two of you but it needs to stop. Seven, your twin brother just returned after almost a year and you welcome him with an interrogation? What the hell is the matter with you? I cook this meal to finally bring the three of us together once again, and it seems as though the two of you _hate_ each other. Does _anyone_ care about how that makes me feel?"

Silence replied. No one removed. Saeran, shocked at her unfamiliar outburst and Seven, sitting with an eyebrow raised at the sight, watched her slightly quaking form and her now glistening eyes. Huffing, she picked up her plate which still had some rice on it, and stalked towards the garbage can. Dumping the contents, she then dropped the plate into the sink with a clatter.

_Screw the dishes._

She then stormed past the table and in the direction of her bedroom, slamming the door. She looked towards the bed, fatigue prodding it's way through her senses. As much as she wanted to crawl underneath the covers and never wake up, she couldn't. Not now. She began to pace the length of the room. She felt like screaming until her lungs gave out.

But more than anything, she wanted someone to talk to. Someone other than the twins who had gotten on whatever nerve she tried desperately to hold on to. Someone like..

She walked towards the bed, pulling her phone from her pocket. Her finger swiped the screen a few times before coming to the app she was looking for. She closed her eyes, her thumb hovering over it. Taking a breath her thumb made contact with the screen. Fuck it. Her eyes were still closed but she was still nervous. There were in fact people she could talk to, though it's been months since the last time they spoke. She honestly didn't remember why she stopped talking to them. Her eyes opened staring at the screen of the RFA.

* * *

 

Jaehae Kang: Mr. Han? Will you returning to the office?

Jumin Han: No. Elizabeth The III is ill and needs my undivided attention.

Jaehae Kang: Sir but the meeting

Jaehae Kang: I wish you would have told me sooner so I could have canceled

 

[Y/N] smiled slightly. It seemed that the relationship between Jumin and Jaehae hasn't changed. His sometimes inconsiderate actions towards the assistant was still visible.

 

**Zen has entered the chat**

** Yoosung★ has entered the chat **

Zen: the star has arrived~

Yoosung★: You guysss !

Jaehae Kang: Hello Yoosung, Hello Zen ~

Yoosung★: GUYYSSssss

Jaehae Kang: Yes Yoosung?

Zen: What is it?

Yoosung★: LOLOL is offline!!! I have to waitttt! By then I'll be dead!!!!! 😢

Zen: ...

Jaehae Kang: ...

Yoosung★: It's just terrible.

Zen: HOLD IT!!

Jaehae Kang: ?

Yoosung★: Ahhh! What is it!?

Zen: It's [Y/N]!!

Jaehae Kang: What? [Y/N]? I didn't even notice.

Jumin Han: [Y/N]?

She smiled at the mention of her presence. It was similar to the very first time she was introduced to the group. After rambling for some time, someone had finally noticed her and the entire chat was shocked.

[Y/N]: Hey guys ^^

Yoosung★: OMGGGGG It's been fosoever!!!

Zen: Typo.

Yoosung★: Whatwvr. [Y/N] You don't know how much I missed you!

Jaehae Kang: Typo ^^

Jumin Han: How much we've all missed you. It's been too long. Meow ~

Zen: Ugh! You're not a cat! Just a weirdo >.>

[Y/N]: I know.. It has been some time

Zen: You especially missed me didn't you~

She rolled her eyes at Zen, not at all forgetting his narcissism and flirtatious remarks. Nevertheless, she was happy to see him as well.

[Y/N]: Yesss! I missed everyone.

Yoosung★: Hey how's Seven doing?

Stopping mid-type, she let out a breath of air. He was not who she wanted to be talking about right now. Luckily Zen intervened, causing her to deflect the question.

Zen: Oh! I forgot to mention..!

Jaehae Kang:?

Zen: I got the role!!!

Yoosung★:Congrats Zen

Jaehae Kang: Yes

Jaehae Kang: That is amazing Zen ^^

[Y/N]: Role?

Zen: Oh yes! They offered me the lead role in that new drama called _After It's All Gone_ and

Yoosung★: Apparently he's mostly shirtless lolololol

Zen: I haven't slept in days. I just got he call this morning. I was so excited, I climbed to the roof of my apartment and almost screamed like a girl.

Jumin Han: Yes well I'm glad that you didn't. I'd hate to hear that noise from here.

Zen: Ugh! You didn't even congratulate me you jerk.

Jumin Han: Congrats.

Zen: I don't accept your dry congrats trust-fund. Hmph!

Jumin Han: Well, wether you do or not is entirely your decision. I have matters to tend to. [Y/N], I'm really glad that I've had the chance to speak with you. I hope we will talk again in the near future. If you will excuse me.

** Jumin Han has left the chat  **

Jaehae Kang: I must take my leave as well. I have loads of paper work to do all while Mr.Han is at home tending to his pet.

Her heart ached for the only other female in the chat. She didn't forget the workload of Jumin's assistant and, as usual, felt bad for Jaehae.

[Y/N]: Hang in there Jaehae ^^

Jaehae Kang: Yes I will try. I hope we talk again soon! Then..

** Jaehae Kang has left the chat **

Zen: I really missed you [Y/N]. You don't know how worried I was. I haven't heard from both you or Seven in months. I do hope you're doing well.

Yoosung★: OMGGGGG!!! Yess! LOLOL is back online igtg. Nice seeingyou[Y/N]bye l! Bye Ze

** Yoosung★ has left the chat. **

Zen: That Yoosung. If he could devote the amount of time he spends on video games to work out like I do, maybe he could get a girlfriend. You know he still doesn't have one yet. I wonder if there is truly hope for him

[Y/N]: Stop teasing. Not everyone has to be a movie star. Yoosung is Yoosung and his time will come~

Her eyes wandered over her text surprised. Before when the rest of the RFA members teased the blonde male, she'd play along or not say anything at all. Maybe it was the fact that, even after months, they were still picking on him and it was getting old. She saw that Zen took a little longer than usual to reply.

Zen: I just got a call from the director. I have to go but please don't hesitate to contact me. It's been too long :(

[Y/N]: Yes of course ^^ congrats again

Zen: Thank you. Don't stay up too late. If you do, It better be becuz you're thinking of me~

[Y/N] didn't reply. She then watched Zen's winky emoji follow and the last message conveying to her that she was alone once again.

** Zen has left the chat **

 

* * *

 

**

 

Saeran sighed, putting the last dish into the rack. He rinsed his hands off and after wringing them over the sink, he turned and leaned against the counter, eyes glancing around the kitchen.

_Does anyone care how this makes me feel?_

His chest panged, remembering the emotional outburst.

He did.

He cared.

 

_More than she knew.._


	6. Chapter 6

_[Y/N] twirled, her eyes widened in bewilderment at the size of the space._

_"This is nice!" She gasped._

_"Why are you acting so surprised? We picked it together" Seven sat down his equipment bag in the center of the vacant foyer. [Y/N] turned, arms spread. Saeran who was behind Seven blushed and looked away. Her demeanor seemed adorably childish._

_"I know but it's still so big." She moved towards the kitchen examining an empty spans next to a small window. She then pointed at the area._

_"The table can go here!" Seven moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, nuzzling her neck._

_"I'm leaving decorating and renovation to you babe." A soft kiss was landed against her neck causing her to giggle. His tongue then poked through his lips and brushed against her skin. The gasped then shimmied from his reach. She turned to Saeran, who quickly averted his reddened face._

_"There's three rooms. One will be yours and.." she glanced at Seven who replied with a knowing look._

_"Actually, come with me. You too babe and grab my bags?" She spun dramatically on her toe and walked across the foyer to an opening. She glanced quickly behind her to see Seven bent towards the ground struggling with her purse and her book bag as well as his suitcase and his equipment bag. Saeran stood erect with his hands in his pocket, his eyes towards the ground. When Seven straightened his eyes met hers and she pointed her head towards his brother._

_He nodded, quickly understanding, and stepped towards him. Saeran, startled, stepped away, his eyes wide and alert. The red head jerked his head in [Y/N]'s direction and they both walked—Seven stumbling— towards her. Through the opening, were split in two directions, and going left, she then arrived to the closed door. Walking in, they all stepped into the space. It was as big as about 10 feet by 10. Across the space from where they stood was a door._

_"Okay so this room, if I remember correctly, is slightly bigger than the rest. But I think it has to do with the balcony." Her eyes flickered towards the twins. Saeran looked around the room, his mouth set in a tight line. His gaze circled to [Y/N], and quickly averted, his cheeks gradually forming a pinkish hue._

_"It's nice. How about it Saeran?" Seven inquired. He was silent and the couple shared a look. She cleared her throat and clapped her hands._

_"Next room!"_

_When they arrived in the room on the right end of the hallway, they saw it was, in fact, slightly smaller than the first. Opposite from the door, was a large window that ran almost down to the carpeted floor. Across from where the group stood, was another window slightly smaller than the other one present._

_"This room is slightly sm—"_

_"This one." The couple both whipped their heads towards the white-haired male, whose eyes were down at the floor. Then their eyes met each other and let out small chuckles, surprised at the fact that this was the first time he spoke all day._

_"Then it's settled. She walked out, the_ _twins following, and walked towards the space in the center. On the opposite side from the hallway was another but instead of being split, it continued down about 14 feet. Two doors were opposite of each other. She then informed the two that it was the bathroom and the last bedroom in which the couple claimed. Their final destination was back in the spacious foyer, Saeran being further near the right hallway._

_"Alright, so the moving truck should be here in an hour. In the meantime we can unload the car."  Seven said, glancing at his watch._

_They then made their way outside towards the vehicle. Seven walked around and lifted the trunk. Inside were boxes full of items that would fit into the car. Taking one, he groaned and made his way back to the house._

_"Careful babe. Some of the boxes are heavy" she rolled her eyes and made a show of scuffing up her sleeves. She then bent her knees slightly and made a sound similar to Pop-eye, a cartoon character._

_Saeran fought a grin which he hid behind a cough. Seven chuckled from far. She then proceeded to grab the first box she saw, full of picture frames and lamps._

_"He thinks I'm so weak. Don't tell him this, but I'm stronger than he is." She whispered the last part to Saeran who stared blankly at her. Tense at her closeness._

_"I heard that!" Seven bounded around the car, a fake pout present. She laughed and walked towards the house. When she was out of earshot, he turned towards his brother._

_"Look Saeran. I-I know this is new and the move is a little rushed, but it was necessary. It's not easy on us either. But give her a chance, alright? She's really trying, I can tell. I.." His eyes dropped. This time Saeran looked at his brother in a manner not involving dark eyes._

_"..trying.." he mumbled, being the only thing Saeran could pick up before [Y/N] bounced back._

_"Wow, look how hard working you guys are!" Sarcasm was recognized, snapping the white-haired male out of his staid position. He quickly grabbed the box with no effort and walked towards the home without a word._

_Her eyes followed behind him, a hint of sadness in them. Turning towards Seven's, he sighed._

_"Just gi-"_

_"I know. He needs time." She finished, her voice low, almost a whisper._

_I know.._

 

* * *

 

Hearing a knock on the door, her eyes wandered from her book towards the source. She rolled her eyes, expecting it to be Seven coming with intentions aside from an apology. Until she heard the voice.

 

"Um.. [Y/N]? Are you still awake?" She bit her lip, contemplating whether or not to reply. Frankly, she had been pissed at the two of them but it's been a couple hours since.

"Well, if you are and still upset, then I wanted to apologize. It wasn't my intention to hurt you. Truly.. I just.." She heard him sigh and a small thud. She could only assume he was leaning on the door. She let out a breath of air.

"Come in." A second or so passed before the door creaked open to a crack. She straightened herself to sit on the bed. Saeran's pink tinted cheeks peeked through the small opening.

"I said you could come in." She said softly. Saeran let out a forced chuckle and walked in. Wiping his hands pointlessly on his pants, his eyes wandered around the space. She marked her place in the book and held it on her lap. She looked down studying the back of it which she's seen a million times.

"That's a lot of textbooks."

"Huh? Oh. Yeah.. It is." Her eyes snapped up towards littered desk. Saeran stepped towards it glancing over the mess.

"Criminology, huh? I never pegged you for a police officer." He joked. She snorted , a sound which surprised her. Shaking her head she shrugged. She honestly didn't want to occupy a job requiring her services in the field. She was just interested in the aspect hence taking the course.

Saeran then took a seat at the desk chair and [Y/N] didn't realize the proximity between them until he spun towards her.

"I'm really sorry.." he said abruptly.

"You said that already. Don't sweat it Sae. It's fine." She gave a smile and the male blushed at the nickname he hadn't heard in a long time.

Their eyes were set in far off gazes in directions away from each other. It was until Saeran cleared his throat to clear away the heavy awkward vibe.

"What are you reading?" Her head bowed towards the book in her hands then back at him.

"Oh this. It's called Winterbreak. It's about these college students who go into a cruise ship and the boyfriend of the protagonist was missing but it turned out he was killed and.."

As she went on about the story, Saeran fought a smile. The way her eyes lit up in almost childlike manner as she talked about her book, reminded him of her personality the first instance he met her. Upon his return, he was afraid she would have lost that light especially in his presence given his absence. Looking at her now began to resurface feelings from deep inside him that he's thought to have been extinguished.

"...And I don't know if you're a reader but you can borrow it if you would like." She looked at him expectingly, earning a gentle smile.

"Ah.. I'm not really into the whole murder mystery ordeal. I will leave that to you." He chuckled sheepishly and understandingly, [Y/N] nodded.

"Of course. It isn't for everyone.." Silence overpowered the small nervous chuckles and gazed were averted again. Saeran peeked at her and luckily she was immersed in some imaginary lint upon the comforter. He took in the structure of her face as if it was the last time he'd be seeing it. The way her lips parted slightly; they looked so soft to him. Instead of his mind taking the path of his true feelings, it sought out a quite different one.

His brother.

Unfortunately he didn't have the time to fully comprehend exactly his intentions before his mouth opened impulsively to speak.

"What's going on with you and Seven."

Head snapping up, her hand ceased movement along the comforter and her body tensed.

"What?"

Her eyes were widened as if the question startled her. Saeran's hands raised defensively as he continued on carefully.

 

"I mean, the atmosphere here is different.. than from when I left. I dunno, I'm sorry. I don't mean to pry."

 

Gaze softening, she sighed before replying.

 

"It's.. it's complicated,” seeing Saeran raise an eyebrow, she quickly continued.

 

“I mean not complicated. A lot has changed. He has work, I have school. It’s fine.. w-we’re fine..” Saeran saw her offer a soft smile knowing it wasn’t all the truth. The saddness in her eyes only fired irritation towards his brother. But deciding that pressing for more information would just push her, especially seeing her current state, he stood and brushed himself off and returned the smile.

“Well alright.. He can be a bit of a dick sometimes and I know..I know he means well. I’m going to go. It’s late and we’re both tired.” [Y/N] nodded and stood, walking Saeran towards the door. He turned one last time and gave another smile.

 

“Goodnight Saeran.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “We all build internal sea walls to keep at bay the sadnesses of life and the often overwhelming forces within our minds..”
> 
> -Kay Redfield Jamison, An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness

_“Seven. I don’t think it will be such a good idea. I mean won’t someone be after him? That’s putting all of us—”_

_“He is my brother [Y/N]! I won’t have him disappear again. I-I can’t..” the breaking on the last word almost sounded believable._

_Saeran scoffed._

_Yeah right._

_Groaning, he tried sitting up, making his consciousness finally known. The couple on the far side of the room ceased their whisper-shouting and Seven sniffed, hastily striding over to the side of the bed. His soft eyes made Saeran want to puke. The gummy smile was enough to nearly make it happen._

_“What were you talking about?” His head throbbed with each word, but not as much. He was so used to being doped up, anything the doctors used didn’t bother him as much each time he came to. Seven exchanged wary looks with [Y/N]. She cleared her throat and mumbled something about using the restroom, leaving the twins alone in the room._

_“We’re leaving. Tonight. After you get better it won’t be long before the agency comes after you. After us. I already made preparations and—“_

_“Wait what? Leaving? I-Idon’t understand..”_

_“We’re not safe,” Seven’s head dropped for a second as if gathering his thoughts._

_“Vanderwood. He went back. Most likely questioned. Soon they will be after us.” He reiterated. Saeran sat silent, the steady beeping of the monitor next to him being the only sound in the room._

_“Saeran..I promise you won’t have to go again.”_

 

_Just trust me._

_**_

Seven typed rapidly, with gold eyes glancing between the keyboard and the screens. On one was the logs of his former agency. Using his impressive hacking skills, he was able to gain access to the communications between all of the agents and even the superiors. It was made so that everything transferred would be broadcasted into a program in the form of messages. Seven could also able to observe actions taken as well. Such as attempts of technical tracking. He chucked in amusement at the amateurish endeavors, for their rank of skill couldn’t compare to his.

As expected, Vanderwood did in fact turn him in, explaining in great detail of his former partner’s actions. Information from his devotion to the RFA as well as his involvement in Saeran’s rescue were main points in the report. Seven knew it was bound to happen. After so many threats from Vanderwood, the last exploit was what tipped—destroyed— the iceberg. During the recent nights of the move, he spent a lot of time setting up his equipment and working on erasing any tangible information that would potentially lead to him. 

At first, he was against the whole college thing; paranoia clouded his mind with thoughts of someone undercover spying on [Y/N]. The thought of her not coming home one evening because she was kidnapped was enough to drive his former decision. But after weeks of asking and negotiating, the couple settled on online classes. Seven had bought [Y/N] a laptop in which he “fixed” before giving it to her. As for her phone it was a matter trust for Seven knew his girlfriend would remain attentive and would not do anything to potentially put herself as well as the twins in danger.

A low blip sounded. Looking down at his phone, Seven saw a notification from an old friend. He stared at the words for some time until his phone had dimmed then turn off. A hand hovered over the device, contemplating his options.

The RFA still kept on with their lives as they virtually communicated in the chat. Seven has not spoke to them since the move deciding that his messages could possibly be traced given that Vanderwood as well as everyone else now knew of the group. And if push came to shove, they could be in danger. Though, he still kept the app, reading the conversations of his old friends time from time. At first, he received dozens of messages from every member, each with the context of concern. As time went on, the members slowly accepted that he was not going to respond in addition to deciding that he was fine.

Nevertheless,memories of his old friend’s plagued him, flooding his mind of nostalgic memories of what once was.

Picking up the device, he turned it on and pressed the notification. The profile picture of Jumin Han called his eyes, reluctantly, to attention.

 

 

[Jumin Han]: Luciel?

 

Seven bit his lip, fingers wiggling over the keyboard.

 _Luciel._ His baptismal name. Though, he didn’t feel the need to use it; his faith in God was diminished some time ago. Still, he knew that it wouldn’t stop Jumin from using it. His focus returned to the message.

Sighing his fingers began to move.

 

 

[707]: Heyo!

 

[Jumin Han]: Oh? A response? I did not think that you would.

[707]: ahh, ive been bzy 

[Jumin Han]: I see.

[707]: wats up??

[Jumin Han]:I just wanted to check in. It has been a while since we have spoken last.

He paused, a part of him starting to regret responding in the first place. He couldn’t determine where the conversation was going to go. The rest of the members didn’t know about Saeran’s current residency. In fact, all that they did know was that him and [Y/N] had went to Mint Eye with the intentions of retrieving his twin. The new location, Saeran’s condition, and his current “work” all remained under secrecy. He had to reply carefully in intents if not revealing or even hinting at anything dubious.

 

 

[707]: It has.. heyyy hows my Elly? Meow~

 

 

He snickered at the sight of Jumin’s annoyed emoji.

 

 

[Jumin Han]:She is not your ‘Elly’. Elizabeth the Third is my cat and my cat only.

[707]: Wtevr. I bet she misses me so~

[Jumin Han]:She does not.

[Jumin Han]: How is [Y/N]? We’ve spoken recently but it was brief.

[707]: Fine

[Jumin Han]: Just fine?

 

 

 _Shit._ His fingers moved quickly to add onto the message. He knew that after that simple question, more were bound to form resulting in a potential slip up.

 

 

[707]: Yep! She’s actually taking college classes and doing really well

 

[Jumin Han]: Well, I’m very glad to hear that. How are you doing Luciel?

 

 

_How am I doing?_

The question was expected but at the same time, not. Seven frowned, his fingers typing then pausing then deleting.

In truth, he felt as though he were slowly falling apart. Sleep deprivation, though accustomed, affected him greatly. The constant dread of one day being discovered and [Y/N] being taken from him was the only thing keeping him from sleep. The return of his brother added to the stress. With the abrupt arrival, he acted as if everything was fine. That it will all go back to normal or something along those lines. Seven shook his head, dismissing the thoughts of Saeran. It would only put him into a mood worse than the one he was in now.

The feeling of loneliness was creeping along him, making his consciousness cloud with darkness. It was as though he were the one on the outside looking in.The loss of connection, the void within him, the prominent sensation that he was alone all fueled him to his state of mind. His fingers began moving.

 

707: I’m fine~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the late update and the short chapter ^.^; Since the semester is winding down, my attention has been towards intensive study sessions in preparations for upcoming exams.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Curiosity is not a sin.... But we should exercise caution with our curiosity... yes, indeed.”
> 
> ― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

A week has past since the arrival of Saeran. Much to his surprise, it seemed everyone stayed within their corner of the house. The only time when Saeran would see both his brother and [Y/N], would be at separate occurrences. It seemed that [Y/N] was still pretty annoyed about what took place that night. She would still respond to Seven, but her demeanor seemed distant.

 

Saeran awoke to the loud drowning of rain. Eyes glancing around, they adjusted to the sight of his room lacking the usual bright casting of the sun rays from the window. Instead, the space was enveloped in a dark grayish hue. Tired eyes moved over all of the cluttered mess around the space. He got out of bed and made his way towards the window. Drawing the blinds open revealed today's weather. Storm clouds blanketed the sky releasing the downpour of rain. Just very faintly the male could hear the low rumble of approaching thunder.

Sighing, he walked away from the window and moved towards one of the many boxes cluttering his room. The delivery guy had knocked on the front door a couple days after his return. Much to Seven's embarrassment, he had quickly apologized to his twin for his suspicion at the table days prior. Saeran couldn't figure out if he should have forgiven his brother or not. He had just shrugged his shoulders and moved past him to retrieve his belongings from the truck. Crouching, he put his hand into the box and fished around for items to put away. Seconds later he redrew his hand which held a key-chain. On the end of it was a small white bear gripping a heart. Most of the ink from its face had rubbed off both from wear and the time its spent in the box. Saeran's face flourished into a pinkish hue as he recalled the origin of the trinket.

**

_The car jolted to a stop causing Saeran to jump out of his slumber. His head whipped around at his surroundings and after a few seconds, his senses reemerged. Apparently they were at a gas station. His head turned towards the front to meet two pairs of eyes peering at him with concern._

_"Sorry.. did we wake you?" [Y/N]'s voice was soft but filled with subtle urgency._

_"[Y/N] has to use the restroom.." Sevens eyes moved towards her pointedly. The redhead was slightly annoyed at the fact that she was asked if she had to go about thirty minutes ago. She had quickly shaken her head no as she proceeded to slurp down a large sized slushee._

_She chuckled sheepishly before unbuckling herself and getting out of the car. Saeran watched as she made her way towards the building and disappear inside. Seven kept his eyes on the interior for anything suspicious. He would have accompanied her but he had Saeran to worry about. Plus, he knew his girlfriend could handle herself._

_"She is something else.." Seven mumbled. His eyes then moved towards his mirror and met pair of minty ones._

_"You doing alright back there?" Saeran nodded in response. Feeling uncomfortable, he looked away from the mirror, the gaze of Seven still present. Moments later, [Y/N] bounded through the doors from the store with a small bag in her hand. When she got into the car, she dug her hand in and pulled out something small. Turning around, she held her fist towards Saeran._

_"I got you something," she opened her palm revealing a small white bear. It's face was set into a comical smile. The souvenir looked like something a five year old would enjoy, not a twenty-three year old guy. His mint eyes stared at the item for a few seconds before raising his eyes towards the mirror, meeting Seven's. His golden gaze peered at his twin and his response to [Y/N]'s generosity. Quickly, Saeran raised his hand to accept the gift, his face heated. "See it's white kind of like your hair." She grinned. "T-thanks." "You're welcome." Her smile broadened before turning around. The couple in the front shared a small smile before the car started again._

_As the drive continued, Saeran continued to study the little keychain before sleep reclaimed him, the trinket gripped in his fist._

**

Standing up, he walked towards his bedside table and placed the item in the drawer. Turning, he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror and blushed. He smirked as his eyes danced over his body. Only clad in a pair of jersey shorts, Saeran admired how fit he really was. He used to be a scrawny guy; given what he went through at Mint Eye, his figure has improved. He was about to begin his morning stretch when he heard the muffled voices coming from behind the door.

"So you're just going to keep acting like this? I already apologized."

Saeran wasn't the nosy type— at least not anymore. But this was the first time in about a week that he's heard Seven speak to [Y/N]. He quickly grabbed a balled T-shirt from off the floor and tugged it on. Opening his bedroom door, he walked into the den slowly, eyes following the source of the persistent voice coming from the kitchen. [Y/N] was at the stove preparing breakfast. Seven was leaning against the counter beside her. Head bowed, it seemed as though she made no response given the growing agitation present on his face. Saeran cleared his throat, making his presence known. Seven's head snapped in his direction and he crossed his arm taking a seat at the table. "Morning." He mumbled. His brother took the chair across from him.

Turning around, [Y/N]'s focused on him, her expression forming into a softer one.

"Morning Sae. Y’want breakfast?" He nodded in reply and she turned to proceed her task. Looking at his twin, Saeran figured Seven's fight against fatigue was still ongoing. The dark circles under his eyes seemed more prominent than a few days ago. He wondered what was keeping him up all night. Aside from that, the tension in the room was as thick as the lump in Seven's throat. Wanting to cut the awkward silence, Saeran spoke up.

"So a little later I was going to go shopping. I think it's time for a new wardrobe. How about we all go? Spend some time in the world?" No one moved. Nothing resonated but the sizzle of eggs and the low drone of the weather outside. Then, Seven cleared his throat.

"I don't know. I mean you see the weather outside." The rain had nothing to do with his reasons for his response. What if they were spotted? The previously nervousness was starting to surface, bubbling up and bursting with intrusive thoughts of what-if's to his mental.

"I think.. I think that would be a good idea," the soft voice, close, causing Seven to look up. She sat a plate in front of both him and his brother. Gold eyes searched her face for any kind of indication that she was not serious. Surely she of all people knew of the risks. Taking a seat, her eyes met Seven's and she smiled that soft smile. It was in complete contrast than her behavior towards him not even five minutes ago. The one that radiated some sorcery on his heart. The one in which he fell in love with. Focusing on this, the racing thoughts became nothing more than unwarranted in the moment. He returned it and her hand was placed on top of his, thumb caressing the flesh tenderly. Clearing his throat Seven spoke up.

"Maybe..maybe for a bit." Saeran continued chewing only glancing up to witness the nominal embrace between the two. So it seemed they've made up, their eyes saying it all. The duration of breakfast was completed in light silence as the twins voraciously finished their meal. [Y/N] collected the dishes and they clattered against each their when placed into the sink. The water was cut on and she began washing them. Seven stood and walked behind her, grabbing hold to her hips. His lips grazed the shell of her ear, moving, followed by an almost inaudible giggle. Moments after the water was shut off and Seven whispered something into her ear again. Blushing she bit her lip and smiled. Saeran kept his head bowed, eyes transfixed on the scratches on the table.

"We can leave in an hour or so? At least before it'll really start pouring again." The statement was followed by a stifled giggle before [Y/N] retreated in the direction of her bedroom.

Seven followed.

*

Once back into the confinement of his room, Saeran let out a heavy sigh in which he had been holding in all morning. He walked towards his dresser to pull out a fresh pair of undergarments. Opening the closet beside it, revealed his wardrobe. It consisted of mostly dark colors; his previous assembles during the first day out of Mint Eye. His hands moved through the clothing in search of something less offensive to his new-found fashion taste. After ten minutes of putting together a decent assemble, he gathered the clothing and cracked open his bedroom door. All was quiet in the house and he figured the couple was still in [Y/N]'s bedroom.

He was about to make his way towards the bathroom on the other side of the house when his gaze settled on the door opposite from his. It was open about halfway. Reluctantly he made his way towards the room. As if controlled by some underlying being, he pushed open the door and stepped in. Looking against the far side of the room where his work desk was, Saeran could see that his monitors were still on. Confusion clouded his face for Saeran knew his brother wasn't the type to leave his work-space unattended to. Saeran then remember that the door beside [Y/N]'s, which partially obscured from the position he was in, was open. And it was dark. Which meant he was still in her room.

 _Possibly_ _.._

Saeran's face flushed at the incomplete thought of the couple. He was about to turn and leave the room when he heard a low beeping from the monitors. The noise was different from what he heard before when Seven was at the desk. The beeps were low as if purposely set to a lower volume and the it was almost alarming. From where he stood, the display wasn't what he saw before either. It seemed that the screen was divided in segments, each a different scene. Curiosity got the best of him for he took a step forward before stopping abruptly.

 _What the hell am I doing?_ He scoffed softly, in disbelief that he was so eager to pry in his brothers work.

He was changed; he wasn't the same person he was a year ago. He wasn't the same weak being who fell to contemptible acts like this. The idea of doing something so low was something he never thought would have crossed his mind. Especially invading his brother's privacy. Despite Seven's coldness towards him upon his return, it was still wrong.

He turned his body away from the desk and closed his eyes.

_But he isn't here._

It seemed to be the voice of his former self. His unstable self; the small part of him thought to have been overshadowed by his newer self. His better self.

As if in some sort of trance, the bundle of clothing fell from his hands and his body turned slightly. The beeping grew louder in his ears as if beckoning him forth.

_You of all people should know when something looks questionable._

His foot moved forward in response to the thought, and his other followed; the repeated actions bringing him closer to the desk. The graphics were a flashy red hue; a clear depiction was almost difficult to attain from a couple feet away.

_This is an invasion of his privacy. This goes against everything you worked so hard fo-_

But it was already too late to turn back now, his eyes were looking on the lively screen. Mint eyes widened at the sight and as if on cue, the beeping stopped completely as if its job was done. Saeran stumbled back, catching himself before he fell. He turned quickly, gathering up his belongings and darted out of the room. Padding across the house swiftly, he made his way into the bathroom. Leaning against the door, his eyes closed as he tried to steady his breathing. He groaned at the sudden constricting of his chest. A hand flew up clawing at the flesh, feeling as though he would pass out any minute. But like before, the episode stopped as quickly as it started. Saeran wished he would have just came directly to the bathroom, avoiding the room altogether. After a few moments, he opened his eyes again and made his way towards the shower. After turning on the water setting to the highest setting it could go, he sat on the lidded toilet seat, his head in his hands. Moments passed before the space was engulfed in steamy mist. Saeran stripped his clothes off and stepped in, unfazed at the intensity of the heat against his skin.

*

Once out of the shower, Saeran's hand swiped over the mirror. His skin had a pinkish hue due to the water temperature, which he had no regret for. He didn't know how long he was in there and had hoped it didn't exceed at least twenty minutes. Dressing himself took no more than five and tending to his teeth took two. Mint eyes glanced up at ones opposite from him until they stopped at his head. Hands moved up to try and fix the disheveled mess and after a few tugs there and excessive finger combing, it looked better. Not as good as he wanted it to be but better. He gathered up his belongings and stepped into the hallway. Due to his proximity to [Y/N]'s room, low noises could be heard and much to Saeran's dismay. His face cheeks were an angry red as he walked towards the den which was was lit subtlety. His eyes casted towards the window to see soft sunlight fighting its way through the dark clouds. He sat down on the couch, retrieving the remote control from the table. Flipping through channels was supposed to be a task to take his mind off what he seen in his brothers room.

He froze, everything coming coming back to him. He jumped back up and raced into his bedroom, hastily pacing around with eyes glued to the walls. Hands pressed and prodded each area until he turned his head his sight landed on a small hole above the window across from him. He quickly moved towards it to examine it. Saeran wished he could scold himself for not noticing it before. But deep down he knew that Seven knew that was the intention. The hole was above the window and out of reach of the eyes. Unless he was waking up to inspect immensely at the details in the wall, he wouldn’t have seen it. Another factor was the weather. Where they were at, it was mostly sunny, causing the room to have almost a bright glare in some areas. Reaching for the chair at his desk, he set it up against the window. Then he stood carefully and straightened and sure enough, he knew it wasn’t some crack or accident against the surface. A finger reached up to smooth over it.

 _No,_ he decided. _Too neat._ His fingers dig into the hole to make it bigger and after a few moments, what he was hoping was a mistake due to his clouded perception, had came into view. Anger boiled within him. Utterances of reason tried to retort through the irate thoughts but he wasn’t hearing it. The act of snooping on his brothers’ stuff seemed to be a nominal offense compared to what his brother has done. In fact he was glad he did it or else he would’ve been casually be going about his day acting as if everything was back to normal, which as of now was further from the truth.

Ripping the camera from the wall it hit the floor hard, pieces of it exploding from impact. He hopped from the chair and sat on the bed, his head in his hands. His mind wandered back to that screen. He wondered is there was a camera in [Y/N]’s room and if so, why? What exactly would his twin be gaining by the security cameras in the rooms?

_What the hell does that bastard think I'm doing?_

Saeran sat here still, growing irritated by the moment. He didn’t know how long he had been that way until he heard a knock on the door followed by the voice of the last person he wanted to hear from at this moment.

“We’re about to go. You ready?” He didn’t respond, only stare at the door. He heard the muffled tone of [Y/N] and a pressing thought formed. Should he tell her? Standing up, he grabbed his jacket from his dresser and shrugged into it. Eyes peeled at the mirror and at the twisted face of himself. She probably has a lot going on right now.. What the hell could be more important the her own privacy being invaded? Saeran knew if he were to speak up about it, it would truly hurt her. And it would affect everyone under this roof. Besides, the couple had only made up today. Judging from all he had observed between the two, this wasn't a first fight. Nor will it be the last. As much as he wanted his own feelings to be acknowledged, he wanted her happy. He was already responsible for everyone looking over their shoulder. The least he could do was ensure her happiness even if it comes to withholding crucial information. As much as anything though, he wanted to kick Seven’s ass though. He didn’t know what he would do if he were to see his face; he knew he had to bury his anger and put on a mask.

It seemed to be what he was used to anyway.

_For her._

Sighing, Saeran fixed his expression into a more softer one. Opening his bedroom door, he smiled.

“Yeah, I’m ready.”

*

Westcourt Mall wasn’t very big. In fact, there were maybe one hundred or so shops within the building. Despite the small place, it was crowded with men, women, and children of various ages. Throngs like this always made Seven nervous but he kept borne grin for his girlfriend’s sake. Still, he kept an alerted eye.

“Ooh, lets go there..!” [Y/N] pointed and practically dragged the redhead through the crowd towards a storefront. In the window were mannequins clothed in nicely designed clothing. Glancing up, the words, formed in a decorative italic stroke called _Blaz-e Clothing_. Seven was then tugged again inside the shop which was dim. The noise of low chatter, excited squeals and indie pop filled his ears as he paraded behind [Y/N]’s form. Every other minute, an article of clothing would be picked up, examined, then shoved into the male’s face. Seven, preoccupied with his surroundings, gave a half-hearted approval in which she would respond with a small frown before throwing the clothing over her arm. The store was filled with mainly women and teenagers. There was maybe a few males besides him who were most likely dragged here the same way he was.

Nevertheless, anybody could be anybody and everybody was somebody in which his wary eye was set upon.

“Okay, I'm going to try these on.” Seven looked in her direction to find that she was already a few paces ahead of him towards the dressing room. Hurrying to catch up, he was soon stopped by a women in her middle age with a pink-dyed bob.

“Sorry darlin’, one one person per dressin’ room” She said, her voice thick with a southern twang. Looking back, she nodded towards [Y/N] who had her eyes on the exchange.

“You g’on head back. Your boyfran’ll be right here.” she smiled. Seven rolled his eyes slightly at her then winked at his girlfriend. She gave a relieving smile in reply and disappeared deeper into the dressing rooms. Seven looked around and found a long bench which was occupied by a mother shushing her whining child. He took a seat on the far end in clear viewing of the entrance of the dressing rooms.

*

Saeran’s hand glided across a tweed denim jacket admiring the light wash. Picking it up by the hanger, he examined the detail along the material. Deciding to at least try it on, he flung it over his arm and continued his journey throughout the store. He was glad to have been separated. Knowing that seeing the face of his brother would only piss him off more by and second caused him to bring up the idea of separation. Also seeing [Y/N]’s face would only bring upon him more conflicting thoughts on whether he should-

“Hey there.” Called a feminine voice from behind him, snapping him out of his thoughts. Looking up, he was surprised to see a young female staring at him. His eyes darted around him and back towards her as if asking if he was the one she was speaking to. Her lips turned up into a grin and she let out an almost suppressed giggle which caused the male’s cheeks to flush.

“Yes, you.” Her remark was made in a way that made it seem as though it was flat out obvious.

“Ah..hello.” he said slowly. She smiled with full teeth- full _dazzling_ teeth. It was one of those smiles that would be thrown over the shoulder of a well-known celebrity. The woman’s eyes crinkled at the corners, making Saeran think of her as someone who smiled and laughed a lot.

"I like your style.” She said pointing to the clothing on his arm.

“H-huh oh. Thank you. Its something I'm experimenting with.” he shrugged. Her eyes surveyed his outfit which was different than the styles in which he held.

"I see.” She grinned before sticking out her hand. In the process, the sound of jangling ranged in his ears, the source being the plethora of bangles on her wrist.

“I’m Annica. But you can call me Annie.” Saeran slowly put his hand in hers and shook it, jangling the bracelets again.

“I’m..” Hesitating, his eyes focused in on her face. Her skin was ivory and unblemished. Though under the soft lighting looked as though it was glowing. Framing her copper-colored eyes were thick eyelashes, the look natural. In fact, her beauty was exquisite, making makeup unnecessary. It was the type of beauty that, surprisingly, made Saeran’s heart skip a beat. Or two. A perfectly arched eyebrow raised expectantly, her mouth turning up at the corners. Saeran braced himself for another radiant smile.

“Shy type, huh? That’s alright. Most people are.” She dropped her hand and began to move, looking back invitingly to the male. He followed her, still clutching the clothing.

“So are you new around here? I don’t think I’ve seen you around.” He scratched his neck sheepishly as he tried to think of an appropriate response. Just like his brother, he also had to keep alert to his surrounding and that included interactions with people. But this woman, Annie, didn’t look suspicious at all.

“You could say that,”

“Hm..I was going to say if you weren’t, I definitely would have remembered a face like yours. Especially in the small sunny town of Southmount.” He chuckled, face burning at the unfamiliar compliment. More time was spent browsing and chatting the clothes as the two walked between the male department to the female department. The awkward one-worded conversation was replaced with that totally detailed and interested between the two. At least from Annie it was detailed. Wanting to reveal as little as he could about his life, he only shared the fact that he has a twin brother who had a deep- almost frightening- admiration for cats. Laughing, Annie started her own background story once she decided that Saeran wasn't going to continue. Apparently, she had moved here to escape the strict expectations of her parents in search of a life for herself. How was that going, was what Saeran had asked in which she responded with nothing less than great. She was attending college to pursue her art career despite her parents’ strong wishes for her to seek the medical field.

“Yeah parents can be..” he trailed off. His experiences with his guardians were greatly different than hers. Sensing the hard topic, Annie responded with a low ‘yeah’ while brushing a hand against the faux fur of a jacket.

Changing the topic, the two exchanged interests; Annie had a deep passion for art, as infered from the comment about college. She enjoyed watching anime and reading books.

“Oh yeah? What kind?”

“Ah..Y’know.. The ones no one likes to read,” She looked around, almost dramatically, and drew herself closer to Saeran, who held his breath at the surprised proximity.

“Historical non-fiction.” She whispered. Rearing back, she smiled that contagious smile which turned into a giggle at Saeran’s response to her humor. Well, partial humor. She deepened her comment by saying the genre was enjoyed by old History and English professors which the male chuckled at as well. He also learned that she had a cat named 'Pup' and her side extra-curricular activities involving volunteering at the local animal shelter and creating art pieces for money.

“A girl’s gotta make a living somehow,” She winked. The pair made their way towards the dressing rooms so Saeran could try on clothes.

“Put on a show!” Annie laughed jokingly as she sat on a bench in the waiting area. Under different circumstances, the male would have felt a bit uncomfortable trying on clothes for someone he had only met an hour ago. But he felt as though he’s known her from childhood years. Her personality sparkled brightly, greatly dissolving his prior concern. And disgruntled mood.

Moments later, he exited the dressing room and goofily struck a pose. Annie whooped and whistled at him causing both to double over in laughter.

“I think i look.. _hot_.” Saeran wiggled his eyebrows at the floor length mirror. The jean jacket sat nicely on the designer polo t-shirt he wore. His pants were light-washed, a part of the new-found and preferred trend.

“I one hundred percent agree.” His eyes met hers in the mirror and he smiled. A half an hour passed on trying on clothes, before Saeran settled on buying all of the selected clothing. Annie commented on his fashion taste again adding that when she went to the dressing room, all of the clothes had to be out back on the racks because they didn't look as well on as she would have thought. Saeran laughed in return commenting that he actually admired her clothing options. Especially her current fit which included a dark blouse that showed her smooth stomach. Her high-waisted shorts hugged her form, emphasizing the hips he knew that _she_ knew she had and wanted to flaunt. Averting his eyes, he licked his lips feeling his face heat involuntarily. “I don’t mind those pretty little eyes.” her voice was low and dripping in flirtacous intent. They walked towards the check out. As Saeran handed over his card, he noticed Annie eyeing a burgundy tote bag behind the counter. He smiled softly and cleared his throat.

“Add that bag to the stuff please.” he pointed. He turned meeting a pair of wide copper eyes. He smiled a toothy smile when she asked him why he had done that. He didn't reply, he only grabbed the bags and jerked his head towards the exit. In honesty, he himself wondered the same thing. He didn't even know this girl and yet he felt that he _wanted_ to. She clutched the bag in her arms, blushing and Saeran questioned, to himself, if she had received this type of gesture before.

“I wanted to.” he shrugged, causing her blush to deepen. She thanked him breathlessly as they started to move slowly through the crowd.

“I..Um.. _CanIhaveyournumber_?” she rushed.

“Eyes on my money, eh?” He chuckled. Her eyes widened child-like and shook her head quickly.

“Omigod, No. I actually..I think you’re cute. And want to get to know you more?” It was her turn to unravel in nervousness. Saeran smirked, unsure if it was the truth. Just then, his phone buzzed in his pocket and taking it out he saw he had a text from his brother. His mood darkened for a second.

 

abt ready 2 go. Where r u?

 

He shoved his phone back into place and gestured for Annie’s with a smile. A few taps later and he handed it back. “Sa-Saeran?” He laughed deeply at the profound emphasis on the ending making his name sound like Sae- _ron_.

“Close. Its Sae _r_ _an._ ” She replied with an embarrassed giggle.

“I do have to go. It was real nice meeting you Annica.” He winked.

”Oh okay, bye Sae _ran_. It was nice meeting you too!” She waved and he turned towards the opposite direction through the crowd, his lips set in a content smile.

*

Once in the parking lot, Saeran’s happy demeanor transformed into something of resurfacing somber. He followed behind the giggling couple, rolling his eyes at his brothers’ stupid jokes. Once at the car, Seven dropped the armful of bags, all belonging to [Y/N] of course, and unlocked the trunk. With much effort, he stuggled to fit them all in there, whining jokingly at how expensive his girlfriend was. Saeran, completely over the lovey-doviness between the two, got inside the car.

All of a sudden, he felt tired. He guessed that he was so immersed in the conversation with Annie, fatigue was ignored at the time. He sat his bag next to him and leaned his head on his fist against the door. From the mirror in the front, he could no longer see the trunk and instead saw the couple locked in an intense kiss. He wanted nothing more than to puke and veered his mind towards the female he met today.

Half hour later, they were home. The sky was clouded with vividly red clouds and Saeran wondered if they were to receive more rain. Once inside, [Y/N] had set down the bags of Chinese food they had picked up. The three dug through to retrieve their respective orders and went towards the direction of their bedrooms. Saran closed the door to his and sat his clothes bag in the chair. Sitting on his bed, he cut the TV on, said his prayers and began eating the greasy food. Seven began to follow [Y/N] towards her bedroom before stopping.

“Ill be in there in a minute babe. I just need to check something.” He gave her his food and went towards his room. Walking inside, he was immediately met with a disturbing feeling that this wasn’t the first time today his room had been entered.

Especially when gold eyes narrowed at the section of one of his monitors, which showed static.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, this was the longest chapter I've written so far. 
> 
> A definite update schedule will be made soon. As previously mentioned, the semester is winding down and you know what that means. (groans internally) 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy and if you do, leave some love :)
> 
> We are arriving at that rise..~


	9. Chapter 9

"Hey Seven, are you alright? You've been a bit distant." Seven glanced up to look at his girlfriend who was turned towards the closet putting away her newly bought clothes. Seven watched her as she reached for the top shelf, the oversized t-shirt she wore riding up and revealing her thighs.

He didn't know how to respond because no, he wasn't alright. He felt so stupid for leaving his space open like that for wandering eyes to misinterpret. The act alone only provided further reasons for the security cameras.

When [Y/N] didn't receive a response, she straightened and turned to face the redhead who's eyes were on her blankly. Instantly, her face went from questioning to that of concern. Crossing the room, she grabbed his hands and placed them on her hips expecting a response different from this detached one. He looked up at her slowly feeling the same dread he did the other night. The feeling that he really wasn’t in control. He sighed, his eyes averting downwards. [Y/N] took her hand and placed it under his chin to tilt his head up . Looking back up at her soft eyes only clenched his heart more.

It made him think of the conversation between him and Jumin a week ago.

_You cannot continue to go through life doubting yourself as well as others. You will drag yourself down a path you do not want to be.._

He couldn't help it though. It was as if the universe refused him of any peace of mind, always blanketing him with doubt. It wasn’t as if he could just wake up and _decide_ to be happy. It just wasn't something that could happen spontaneously; no matter how much he tried to put a smile on his face and grasp positivity, it seemed he would only be further away.

[Y/N] studied him and how far away her boyfriend seemed to be. It was as though he was shutting her out one more, despite how good of a mood he had been in.

Biting her lip, she descended onto her knees, eyes never leaving his face. It’s been some time since she had pleasured him and decided it was what he needed at the moment. Golden eyes stared down at her in anticipation, heart pounding at her plump lips spreading into a coy smirk.

“Seven..I want you,” Her hands ran fervently against his thighs before gripping his slacks and pulling them down along with his boxers. Eyes gazed up, filled with utter lust and a low gasp was made when her hands grasped his half-hard erection. He tensed, his lifeless eyes now appearing more lively than ever. Licking his lips, his pupils dilated as he watched his girlfriend lower her mouth onto him. Her tongue pressed flat alongside his shaft, moving to and fro, coating his cock with the glisten of her saliva. Once at the top, her mouth then encased his tip, swirling her tongue. She groaned as she slowly took more of his length, feeling him grow and harden in her mouth. Eyes full of earnest, she watched the redhead coming undone, writhing under the suction of her lips and hollowed cheeks. She pressed deeper until she felt the slight sensation of his ginger hairs on her face and her eyes began to water.

“Sh-shit..” Seven hissed, followed by a low groan as she retracted completely, creating the distinctive _pop_ when he was released from her mouth. Hands moved up and down his now fully erected cock, twisting every now and then. He threw his head back, his breathing quickening with the pace of each thrust of her soft hands. [Y/N] quickened her pace gradually, giving a subtle squeeze, causing him to almost thrust into her palms. Mouth returning, his hips bucked into her causing a muffled noise of surprise. The sound stroked a primitive spark in him and strong hands gripped her locks, pushing her down to the hilt. It was proven that she could handle all of him and his size was greater than average. But the forcefulness of him against her throat made her gag. His grip tightened slightly as he began flexing his hips against her cavern.

“Fu.. your mouth is so.. _good_.” The choppy praise only made her stomach flutter for his approbation was her primary goal. She regained her dominant intent and she began moaning. Taken aback slightly he lost his momentum and cursed underneath his breath. Seven felt himself totally losing his mind each second in this state.

“G-get up..” he gasped, shakily trying to keep himself from coming. They both stood and hurriedly discarded their clothing. Wrapping his digits around her neck he pulled her in for a kiss, his tongue gliding across hers. In one swift motion , she was then pinned underneath him, their mouths still connected. Hands roamed ravenously over each other’s bodies, the room filling with noises of intimacy. Seven then pulled away to grip the base of his cock and began moving the tip along [Y/N]’s moist folds, lathering his head with her arousal. She mewled, gripping his shoulders, her eyes filled with darkened lust.

“Say..say you want me.” Seven muttered, his golden eyes staring down intensely. His cheeks reddened at the notion that he felt he still needed emotional validation despite how prominent her love was for him. Nevertheless, her hand reached up to caress his face lovingly and muttered what he wanted to hear as a push for him to continue . He unsheathed himself into her, groaning at how tightly she clenched him. After a few seconds of adjustment and just to marvel the beautiful being beneath him, he begin to move, signing at how well he fit her.

Eyes trailed her face which was twisted in ecstasy. Over and over he muttered words of adoration and how much he loved her, in which she replied with unintelligible noises, focusing on how he was making her feel. The room was filled with heavy breathing, sounds of pleasure, and skin against skin. As he watched her expressions, carnal desire arose from him, causing his hand to find its place around her neck. He shifted his position, using his other hand to grip her thigh, pushing it out wider. The force behind his thrust intensified, dragging out sudden bursts of shouts from her. He gritted his teeth as his hips continued slamming against hers. [Y/N] noticed his demeanor change into that familiar hunger; gold eyes cold and narrowed, slightly opened mouth set in a scowl. The force of him repeatedly hitting her g-spot caused an arising sensation deep within. She clenched around him, causing him to curse beneath his breath at how close he was. Hips bucking into her a few more times were followed by a final cry of release at respective octaves. [Y/N] twitched, feeling the pulsing of his cock still within her as he milked himself of all that was left.

After a few seconds, he pulled out, and collapsed beside her, pulling her body close. His fingers reached up, coiling around her locks as she leaned lovingly into his touch. After a while, fatigue began to claim her and she fought against the desire to close her eyes.

“You love me right?” Seven whispered. Her eyes strained open to the sound of his voice. Offering a soft smile, she said, “Of course I do, my love.” He watched as her eyes closed a final time, the only thing on his mind were those agonizingly long seconds before she had replied.

**

“Have you located the target?”

“Not yet. I think I may have a lead, though I am not sure If it will be proven to be related to the target.” It was silent on the other end and copper-colored eyes peered outside of the tinted car in the darkened abyss of the night.  A gargled response came in again after a few moments.

“You make sure you follow that lead. I don’t care if it proves a dead end. We use _anything_ we can to ensure that the rouge is captured, by any means.”

“Understood sir.”

“You make sure any future updates are brought to my attention, is that understood Special Agent A38?”

“Yes sir.” The line disconnected and narrowed eyes watch the phone log disappear. A few taps of the keyboard and a contact name flashed across the screen. Typing out a message was soon followed by hitting send. 

 

_Thank you again for the bag._

 

**

The twins avoided each other , conversation to a minimum, if not at all void for the sake of [Y/N]. As the days passed, Saeran became more involved in conversation with Annie. He felt comfortable talking to her and felt that she understood him. Still, he remained vigilant, careful not to expose too much about himself at a time.

>    **Annie:** So whatcha up to?
> 
> Just watching some TV. The show i’m watching has this talking cat and it reminded me of you, haha.

Saeran frowned at the message, quickly deleting the characters. He cursed himself at how stupid he sounded. _Why would she want to be compared to a talking cat, you idiot._ His fingers hovered above the keypad before another attempt at a reply.

> Just watching some TV

He reluctantly hit send, his heart thumping. He then opened the app belonging to the RFA, hesitant to join the chat. Despite what Searan had tried to do to the group a year or so ago, the members were surprising amicable towards accepting him. They were not close friends or anything but still treated the male with respect. Saeran still felt uncomfortable associating with those he had tried to destroy so he didn’t find himself using the app as often as expected. In fact, the only time he used it was upon his recent weeks here and Seven wanted him to let the group know they were alright.

>   **Annie:** Ooh fun. What’s it about?
> 
> I'm not entirely sure. I was just kinda channel-surfing and came upon the episode. So far, its about these agents with special powers. But its a part of a series im not familiar with

He hit send and reopened the RFA app. Sighing he opened the chat.

* * *

 

Zen: theres this one guy who's always trying to outdo me! He isn't even a main character

Jaehae Kang: There is no one who can outdo you. Just ignore him.

Zen: I try! It's so hard though. He acts like some conceited jerk! Like he's soo good looking and above everyone else. Even some of the actresses don't swoon over me anymore.

Yoosung★: seems zen has met his match lololol

Jumin Han: Wow, this actor sounds a lot like someone we know. 

Zen: Shut up you jerk! You don't understand

Saeran read over the messages, once again reminded of the distinct personalities of the members. It seemed that no one had noticed him and he was about to leave when he saw a new message.

Jumin Han: Hello Saeran.

He gulped, fingers typing slowly.

 

Sae: Hey..

 

Yoosung★: Saeran! Hi! How are ypu?!

 

He grimaced at how lively the blonde seemed to be. It seemed as though he was overdoing it.

 

Sae: I’m fine. 

Jaehae Kang: Yoosung, how about you slow down and take your time as you type. 

Yoosung★: I just get so excited! I cant hwlp ut

Zen: typos

Yoosung's crying emoji passed before another message came in from Jumin.

 

Jumin Han: I spoke to your brother some days ago. I hope that you guys are fine?

 

He paused, the thoughts of what he had found out a couple days ago racing around in his mind. It would be so easy to let him on what was really going on, suspecting Seven told Jumin all was well. It wasn't only the cameras either. Saeran noticed a gray cloud hanging over his brother's head. If he could tell Jumin and the rest of his friends his concerns, then maybe they could help him. On the other hand, Saeran figured that his brother didn't know that he had snooped and if he were to tell the RFA members, he would be in trouble with his twin. He sighed before typing out another message.

Sae: Yeah, everything is fine. We've settled in well and have started to move on with our lives, you know?

Zen: How is my [Y/N]? I wish she would log on so I could ask her myself~

Saeran continued, ignoring Zen's message.

Sae: How are you guys doing?

 

His mint eyes read over each reply in how good they were doing. He almost tossed his phone when Jumin had sent a picture of his cat. One thing he would say he had in common with the movie star was his dislike for the cat. Or any cat for that matter.

Zen: What the hell?! Don't ever ruin my sight like that again

Jumin Han: Perhaps your sight is already ruined if you cannot see the beauty of my precious Elizabeth the 3rd. Here, I will bless your eyes again, meow~

Saeran watched as another image of the cat emerged. This time, she was on her back, front paws raised towards the camera. He knew that if Seven was here, he wouldn't hear the end of how cute his 'Elly' looked.

**[Zen has left the chat]**

Jaehae Kang: Mr. Han, maybe you should keep in mind that not everyone shares the same admiration for your pet.

Jumin Han: I see. Well I shall apologize to Zen 

Jaehae Kang: That's good.

Jumin Han: For how sorry I feel for him and his discontent for the most exquisite creature on Earth. 

Yoosung★:lololol that will probably make him more upset

Jaehae Kang: Yes

Jaehae Kang: Anyways, how have you been Saeran? I hope that you have gotten.. better

 

He didn't reply right away, for he sensed the assistant's attitude shift. He didn't blame her but was still a bit surprised by the boldness of the statement.

 

Jumin Han: Maybe that wasn't the best choice of words. It seems that you are implying that his mentality was in a state of despair. 

Jaehae Kang: I've implied no such thing. Though, it seems to be what you are implying now.

Sae: I am better actually. I've found my purpose and have been in a state of pure happiness. Thank you for asking.

Jaehae Kang: Yes well I am glad to hear that.

Jumin Han: As am I.

Yoosung★: Me 2!

 

His phone buzzed and another notification came in from Annie.

>   **Annie:** Ah. 
> 
> **Annie:** I hope I'm not being too forward but I would like to see you again

 

He blushed, fingers moving speedily.

> Not at all. I would like to see you too. How about this weekend we meet up?

He received a response almost instantly.

>   **Annie:** I look forward to it.

Great, he replied before hitting send. He then reopened the chat to see that Jaehae had left, saying she just received an email from the chairman of C&R International followed by telling Jumin that he should log off as well to get ready for a meeting. 

Jumin Han: Saeran. I have to take my leave as well. Do not hesitate to contact me for any reason, alright?

Sae: Yeah, sure. 

Jumin Han: Goodbye

**[Jumin Han has left the chat]**

Not wanting to engage in conversation with Yoosung about video games at this time, Saeran quickly typed a message.

Sae: I gotta go too. Bye yoosung

Yoosung★: Oh Okay Bye!

* * *

 

 

Saeran left the chat and was about to close out of the app when he noticed something off about the screen. He tapped the surface but it seemed to be frozen to his touch. The display of the RFA messenger app glitched again into a static array of colors, before his phone turned off on its own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just want to know if you guys are alright with the way I formatted the text messages and RFA chats. I hope it isn't a bit too much. If not, I will gladly change it and come up with a better way to display them.
> 
> Anyways, what do you guys think will happen next? See you guys in the next update and be sure to leave some love for ya girl~


	10. Attention

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hiatus.

_Keep You_ will go on temporary hiatus. 

I know... I can already hear the groans of disappointment. But hear me out.

 

Though I still am a fan of the Mystic Messenger fandom, I'm not as into it as I was before. And it's only temporary. For how long? I don't have the answer to that. I actually already have a pretty clear plan of how the rest of the story will unfold, but like I said, I'm not as into the Mystic Messenger fandom as I was before.  

While _Keep You_ has been a lot of fun to write, It was also kind of hard. Portraying Saeyoung Choi the way I have makes me feel a bit bad. Especially exploiting his slight...issues from the game. I kudo those that are able to do this without breaking down in tears to be honest.. 

A lot of stuff I have written and also planned has hit a little close to home in a sense, which is another reason I am going on hiatus for this story. 

 

I apologize for the inconvenience I may have caused.  


End file.
